Focus on Competition - 2003/05
Technical Director Steve Kaluf [email protected]
The Model Aviation staff is telling me I'm way past deadline for this column, and if they don't get it (the column) "right now," it will have to run next month. So here is the most important stuff for this month!
Cross proposals to the current crop of Basic Rules Change Proposals are due at HQ by a postmark deadline of July 15, 2003. Remember, a cross proposal may not change the intent of the original proposal; it may only alter the proposal to make the proposal better. The July issue of Model Aviation will give you the vote results from the initial ballot of all Basic Rules Change Proposals.
This has been an interesting start to this rules change cycle. We have a lot of new Contest Board members; most of these hardworking volunteers have no previous Contest Board experience and the learning curve has been a bit steep. However, the good news is that these new folks are active in the events they represent. This should prove to give you much better representation for your events. Remember, if you have comments about proposals prior to voting taking place you should contact your district Contest Board member for that event. Do not send your comments to HQ; this is an extra step that only delays things. Contest Board members are published monthly in the "Competition Directory" of Model Aviation.
Contest Directors (CDs) Please Take Note:
Even with the implementation of the new "Sanction Application Form" and all its associated instructions, we are still getting the application incorrectly filled out.
Remember, this form tells the contest coordinator and us how you plan to conduct your event and provides the information for your listing in the magazine and on the AMA website. If this information is wrong or incomplete, it will either delay processing of your application or result in incorrect/incomplete information being published.
A couple of errors and omissions constantly crop up:
- Event classification for a "C" or "C-restricted" event. An event that is, say, for jets only is not a restricted event. You do not restrict an event based on the type of aircraft flown. A restriction is only used to define who may fly in the event. This would be used for an invitational event or an event in which perhaps only a certain club or region was invited to participate. The instructions on the form clearly indicate this.
- Using "IMAA" as a size requirement for large-scale fly-ins. You may not use "IMAA" or "International Miniature Aircraft Association" as a size requirement unless you sanction your event with IMAA as well. You may indicate that you require the aircraft to be 80 inches in wingspan for monoplanes or 60 inches in wingspan for biplanes, but you cannot use "IMAA" without sanctioning with IMAA first.
- Deviations from published rules. If you are running a rule-book event and wish to deviate from the published rules, you must indicate what the deviation is on your sanction application. Deviations must be approved by me to be allowed. If I'm unfamiliar with the event I'll normally talk to the Contest Board chairman to get his input on the matter before I make a decision. You must put this information on the Sanction Application in the appropriate space.
- Incomplete event description. The second page of the Sanction Application is for you to describe your event. We use this data to create your magazine listing and web calendar listing. If you leave this blank, your information will be minimal at best. We simply cannot take the time to call every CD who leaves this information out.
- Missing signature. The backside of the application must be signed by the CD, even if your event is not a rule-book event. If it is a rule-book event, be sure to indicate what events you are running on this side of the application.
Well, that's about it for this month. I hope you are making plans to join us for AMA Homecoming June 6–8 and have gotten your Nationals entries in. It's going to be a great summer!
'Til next time... MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
